‘No A&E overhaul til review finishes’

Bedford Hospital needs an A&E overhaul admits chief executive Stephen Conroy - but that will not happen until the ongoing healthcare review is complete.

Mr Conroy wants to radically overhaul the current department, so that A&E is co-located with the acute assessment unit (AAU), a ward for medical and emergency patients who have been referred by their GP or A&E to undergo further assessment, and with the children’s assessment unit.

But he said: “I think the reality is that until the reviewreaches its conclusion this might be difficult to complete.

“It’s frustrating from our point of view - it doesn’t cause harm to patients, but it does put more pressure on our already-busy staff. Meanwhile we are putting short-term measures in place to mitigate this.”